Multiregulator circuit and lamp

Abstract

This invention relates to circuits for operation over a range of voltages, more particularly for a vehicle lamp circuit that provides lighting over a range of voltages. The invention provides a circuit that allows the operation of an LED array lamp over a range of voltage. This is achieved by making use of three-terminal adjustable regulators. One of the three-terminal regulators is configured as a voltage regulator. It regulates the voltage by a connection to a voltage divider. A second three-terminal regulator is connected to the voltage regulator. The second regulator is configured to be a current regulator with the current set by one resistor. This circuit can be further modified with additional adjustable three-terminal regulators to increase in functionality.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A lamp comprising: 
       a housing adapted to be removably secured to a vehicle;  
       a lens cover;  
       potting material;  
       a heat sink; and,  
       a light source comprising at least one light emitting diode attached to a circuit board, said circuit board containing a circuit for controlling current over an input voltage range, said circuit comprising:  
       a diode rectifier which receives said input voltage, said diode rectifier connected in series with a first of at least one adjustable three-terminal regulator;  
       said first of at least one adjustable three-terminal regulator configured as a voltage regulator for voltage regulation, said voltage regulation provided by a first and second resistor working as voltage divider;  
       said first of at least one adjustable three-terminal regulator connected in series to a second of at least one adjustable three-terminal regulator; and,  
       said second of at least one adjustable three terminal regulator configured as a current regulator for current regulation, said current regulation provided by a third resistor with said resistor regulating current output value.  
     
     
       2. A lamp according to  claim 1  wherein said heat sink is located over said circuit board and below said lens cover, wherein portions of said heat sink define at least one hole to allow light from said light source to pass through said heat sink. 
     
     
       3. A lamp according to  claim 1  wherein said heat sink is located under said circuit board. 
     
     
       4. A lamp according to  claim 1  wherein said heat sink is zinc. 
     
     
       5. A lamp according to  claim 1  wherein said heat sink is aluminum. 
     
     
       6. A lamp according to  claim 1  wherein said light source is a single series string of three light emitting diodes. 
     
     
       7. A circuit for controlling current over a voltage range, comprising: 
       a plurality of diode rectifiers which receive input voltage, said diode rectifiers connected in series with a first of at least one adjustable three-terminal regulator;  
       said first of at least one adjustable three-terminal regulator configured as a voltage regulator for voltage regulation, said voltage regulation provided by a first and second resistor working as voltage divider;  
       said first of at least one adjustable three-terminal regulator connected in series to a second of at least one adjustable three-terminal regulator; and,  
       said second of at least one adjustable three-terminal regulator configured as a first current regulator for current regulation, said current regulation provided by a third resistor setting current output value;  
       a third of at least one adjustable three-terminal regulator configured as a second current regulator for current regulation connected in series with said voltage regulator, said current regulation provided by a fourth resistor setting the current output value,  
       a transistor switch connected to said plurality of diode rectifiers and operatively connected in series to a gate of a P-channel MOSFET; and,  
       said P-channel MOSFET shunting a fifth resistor from said circuit when activated by current from said transistor switch, said fifth resistor connected in series with said fourth resistor.  
     
     
       8. A circuit according to  claim 7  wherein said voltage range is 10 to 50 volts. 
     
     
       9. A circuit according to  claim 7  wherein said at least one voltage regulator is set to 18 volts by said voltage dividers. 
     
     
       10. A circuit according to  claim 7  wherein said first current regulator is set to 50 mA by said third resistor. 
     
     
       11. A circuit according to  claim 7  wherein said second current regulator is set to 58 mA by said third resistor and the insertion of said fifth resistor by said MOSFET. 
     
     
       12. A circuit according to  claim 7  wherein said second current regulator is set to 220 mA by said third resistor and the removal of said fifth resistor by said MOSFET. 
     
     
       13. A lamp comprising: 
       a housing adapted to be removably secured to a vehicle;  
       a lens cover;  
       a heat sink;  
       potting material; and,  
       a light source comprising a combination of light emitting diode arrays attached to a circuit board, said circuit board containing a circuit for controlling current over an input voltage range, said circuit comprising:  
       a plurality of diode rectifiers which receive input voltage, said diode rectifiers connected in series with a first of at least one adjustable three-terminal regulator;  
       said first of at least one adjustable three-terminal regulator configured as a voltage regulator for voltage regulation, said voltage regulation provided by a first and second resistor working as voltage divider;  
       said first of at least one adjustable three-terminal regulator connected in series to a second of at least one adjustable three-terminal regulator; and,  
       said second of at least one adjustable three-termninal regulator configured as a first current regulator for current regulation, said current regulation provided by a third resistor setting current output value;  
       a third of at least one adjustable three-terminal regulator configured as a second current regulator for current regulation connected in series with said voltage regulator, said current regulation provided by asfourth resistor setting current output value;  
       a transistor switch connected to said plurality of diode rectifiers and operatively connected in series to a gate of a P-channel MOSFET; and,  
       said P-channel MOSFET shunting a fifth resistor from said circuit when activated by current from said transistor switch, said fifth resistor connected in series with said fourth resistor.  
     
     
       14. A lamp according to  claim 13  wherein said heat sink is over said circuit board and below said lens cover, wherein portions of said heat sink define at least one hole to allow light from said light emitting diode array to pass through said heat sink. 
     
     
       15. A lamp according to  claim 13  wherein said heat sink is under said circuit board. 
     
     
       16. A lamp according to  claim 13  wherein said heat sink is zinc. 
     
     
       17. A lamp according to  claim 13  wherein said heat sink is aluminum. 
     
     
       18. A lamp according to  claim 13  wherein said light emitting diode arrays are a center array comprising a single light emitting diode and a main array comprising two series strings of three light emitting diodes. 
     
     
       19. A lamp according to  claim 13  wherein said lamp functions as a stop/tail/clearance lamp. 
     
     
       20. A lamp comprising: 
       a housing;  
       at least one light source;  
       a lens adjacent to said at least one light source; and  
       a circuit operatively connected to said at least one light source, said circuit comprising at least one diode rectifier, a plurality of adjustable three-terminal regulators, and a plurality of resistors, wherein one of said plurality of adjustable three-terminal regulators is configured as a first voltage regulator and one of said plurality of adjustable three-terminal regulators is configured as a first current regulator.  
     
     
       21. A lamp according to  claim 20  wherein said circuit has an operating voltage of approximately 10 to 50 volts. 
     
     
       22. A lamp according to  claim 20  wherein said first voltage regulator is operatively connected to a first and second of said plurality of resistors as voltage divider. 
     
     
       23. A lamp according to  claim 22  wherein said first voltage regulator is regulated at approximately 18 volts by said voltage divider. 
     
     
       24. A lamp according to  claim 22  wherein said first current regulator is operatively connected to a third of said plurality of resistors to regulate current output. 
     
     
       25. A lamp according to  claim 24  wherein said current output of said first current regulator is approximately 50 mA. 
     
     
       26. A lamp according to any of claims  20 - 25  that functions as a vehicle marker lamp. 
     
     
       27. A lamp according to  claim 24  further comprising one of said plurality of adjustable three-terminal regulators configured as a second current regulator, said second current regulator operatively connected to a fourth of said plurality of resistors to regulate current output. 
     
     
       28. A lamp according to  claim 27  further comprising a fifth of said plurality of resistors operatively connected in series with said fourth resistor, and a transistor switch operatively connected to said at least one diode rectifier and operatively connected in series with a P-channel MOSFET. 
     
     
       29. A lamp according to  claim 28  wherein said current output of said second current regulator is approximately 58 mA when said transistor switch is turned off and said P-channel MOSFET is deactivated. 
     
     
       30. A lamp according to  claim 28  wherein said P-channel MOSFET is activated by current from said transistor switch and said P-channel MOSFET shunts said fifth resistor from said circuit. 
     
     
       31. A lamp according to  claim 30  wherein said current output of said second current regulator is approximately 220 mA. 
     
     
       32. A lamp according to any of claims  27 - 31  that functions as a combined stop/tail/clearance lamp for vehicles. 
     
     
       33. A lamp according to  claim 20  wherein said at least one light source comprises at least one light emitting diode. 
     
     
       34. A lamp according to  claim 33  further comprising potting material for embedding said at least one light emitting diode and said circuit board. 
     
     
       35. A lamp according to  claim 20  wherein said at least one light source comprises at least one series string of three light emitting diodes. 
     
     
       36. A lamp according to  claim 35  further comprising potting material for embedding said at least one series string of three light emitting diodes and said circuit board. 
     
     
       37. A lamp according to  claim 20  further comprising a heat sink for dissipating heat away from said at least one light source. 
     
     
       38. A lamp according to  claim 37  wherein said heat sink is zinc. 
     
     
       39. A lamp according to  claim 37  wherein said heat sink is aluminum.